July 2023
The Famous Grantia in Sicily at Bam Bar – Taormina, Sicily
Up until this point in our Sicily adventure, granita had been a fun to try but nothing that could top gelato. Bam Bar is a world famous Taormina establishment frequented by tourists, locals, and celebrities alike. According to reviews, this was THE place to get granita – and some say the best granita in Sicily.
Unlike many other places in Sicily, Bam Bar has multiple thousands of reviews – currently over 6,000 with 4.5 stars on Google, an impressive average. The shop is small on the inside but there is also generous outdoor seating as well. The staff here run around in circles to continue the granita train and keep the tables turning over for the next guests. The inside is colorful with pictures showcasing Bam Bar’s beginnings and famous guests that stop by for granita.
The menu is simple with a board that displays the flavors available when you visit – this does change so keep that in mind if there is a specific flavor you are looking for. Kevin and I ordered one strawberry granita and a brioche to share. The brioche did not make any sense to me but it is what you are supposed to do and what we were recommended to do. We also opted for cream on top cause that sounded like a wonderful way to enhance the granita experience.
Well, it happened – there was life before this granita and like after this granita. It was insanely amazing and definitely exceeded the expectations at the hype. All other granitas cannot compare. The flavor of the grantia was so intensely strawberry like you took a big bit into a juicy fresh one. The cream on top was luxurious and the brioche was soft, light, and delicious. With the brioche, you are meant to dip it into the granita or what I was doing was making little mini sandwiches with the granita and cream in the middle of a piece of brioche. The three worked together in a way that was unexpected and perfect. It was over so fast and we were immediately planning our next visit – and we would not be sharing. In fact, we visited at least once a day for the rest of the trip trying various flavors and picking favorites. Of note, you can get up to two granita flavors in a serving so if you cannot choose between flavors, get two! And do not miss trying the cream and the brioche – the entire experience really makes it complete.
We were sad to leave Taormina just because we could not have this amazing granita! While you may not be here once (or twice) a day on your trip, you have to at least try it once. Who knows, you may get hooked like we did.
